Liquid-dispensing apparatus



June 24, 1930.' T. Dr TELLA LIQUID DISPENSING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed April 4, 1928 .June 24, w39. T D, ELLA 1366,28?

LIQUID DISPENS ING APPARATUS Filed April 4, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented June 24, 1930 y UNITI-:D- STATES PATENT oFFICE.

TORCUATO DI TELLA, OF BUENOS 4AIRES,.ARGIElVJlINA i LIQUID-DISPENSING APPARATUS Application filed April a, 1328, Serial No. 267,422, and in Great Britain January 30, 1928.

This invention relates to apparatus for dispensing liquids in predetermined quantity, and is designedprimarilyifor installation in gasoline filling stations, though it can, ofcourse, be used in various othericonnections. s

According to theinvention, which is based on the theory" of non-compressibility of liquids, a dispensing or measuring chamber or lvessel is provided, connected to 'be fed with liquidy from a main source of supply and equipped with a discharge or outlet valve having'a handle for opening and closing it. This chamber contains an overliow device which is so positioned that the liquid commences to pass therethrough so soon as a quantity in excess ofthat to be dispensed is delivered to the chamber. `The excess liquid is returned to the source of supply, but a part of it flows .into and fills an auxiliary receptacle or chamber providedwwith a movable controller which is connected to the valve handle (the latter normally occupying a position corresponding to the closed position of the valve), so that a hydraulic lock is thereby formed which prevents the valve from being opened until the dispensing chamber contains only the precise quant-ity ofliquid to be discharged, whereat'ter the lock chamber is emptied automatically and the handle unlocked and actuated. Further and more detailed description will be given subsequently.

In the accompanying drawing:

Figures 1 and 2 are vertical sectional views of a preferred embodiment of the invention, showing the outlet valve and associated parts in. locked andV unlockedv (i. e., closed and open) positions, respectively; andv Figs. 3 and 1l are detailed'sections, on an enlarged scale, of a slightly modified arrangement and likewise showing the outlet valve and associated-parts in closed and open positions.

Referring more` particularly to the draw,- ing, 1 indicates atanlr or reservoir constituting the main source of supply of the gasoline orV other liquid to be dispensed in measured quantity, and 2 the dispensing vessel or chamber; these two receptacles be K ing connected by a vertical delivery pipe 3 which extends from a point close to the bottom of `receptacle 1 through and slightly above the bottom of receptacle 2. A pump f1 of any suitable character isv fitted in the delivery pipe and may be operated in any desired manner; manually, for example, as in the construction illustrated.-` From the dispensing chamber or vessel projects a-,discharge pipe 5, having included in it anoutlet valve 6, here shown as of the rotary plug type, wh'ich is opened or closed by means of a handle or lever 7 secured to one end there# of; and this Valve, as will be understood, normally occupies a closed position.

Operation ofV the pump will result, therefore, in the delivery of liquid throughpipe 3 from the supply tank 1 to the dispensing vessel 2, the latter being preferably made transparent so that the progress of its filling can be watched. Vhen theprecise quantity of liquid to be dispensed has been supplied, the actuation ofthe pumpy ceases and any liquid in excess `of that quantity is returned to tank l, this being eli'ected by means orf a combined overflow and return pipe. The upper section 8 of said pipe projects vertically through the bottomyof vessel 2 to Vthe exact height of the liquid leveliiorl the quantity in question, while its lower section 9, which is offset .from the upper section Vin kthe form of a cylinder, i connected by a short vertical pipe i12 to the Vfitting 10 in Vline with pipe 8, and by a second short pipe 13 of smaller diameter Vwith pipe 9; the pipes 12 and 13 `opening through the topL and botd venting its escape.

tom of the cylinder at points 14 and 15 Which, in the present instance, are represented as diametrically opposite, though that arrangement is not essential. Hence, some of the excess liquid passing through the overiiow pipe 8 Will escape by Way of pipe 12 into the cylinder' 11 and Will fill the saine rapidly, since the outlet or drain pipe 13, because of its smaller diameter, insures a slow emptying action.A v

The piston 16` Working in said cylinder constitutes a controller for the lock, as Well as for the filling operation, and has its stem projecting outward through the inner cylinder head and connected at its free end to thecentral part of valve lever 7 by a pinand-slot joint 17 or similar loose connection. In consequence, boththe outlet valve 6 and the piston or controller 16 will be operated simultaneously by a movement of lever 7 the piston moving forward While the valve turns toward open position; but if such movement of the piston is blocked in'any Way as, for4 instance, by4 the liquid in front of it, then the lever 7 cannot be' operated and the valve will be held or locked inclosed position. Moreover, as soon as the piston starts its forward movement, it,V closes the ports 14 and 15, thus shutting ofi the supply of liquid to the cylinder aii'dtrapp'ing the liquid alreadyltli'erein, which Will have the effect of resisting` further' movement of the piston.

To avoid the formation of air locks, a venting device is provided in connection with the cylinder Which is initially open, so as to'exhaust the air as the cylinder fills, and ultimately closes. This device may comprise, as shown, a casing 18v mounted upon the upper or outer end ofthe cylinder and communicating With the interior thereof by Way of a hollow stein oi" nipple 19;said cylinder occupying an inclined'v position. Casing 18 contains a freely-movable' or floating member 20'carrying a pointed projection 21 that is designed to close thelOWer or inner end of a vent pipe 22 when the float is lifted; said ioat normally occupying its lowered position Within the casing but being raised slightly above the bottom of the casing, as by an aperturedv part or spider 23 to enable the escape of air around it from the cylinder.

The operation is substantially as follows: Actu'atioii of pump 4 Will deliver the liquid to the dispensing'vessel 2, which Will gradually fill, the' normally-closed valve 6 pre- *When the level of the liquid rises above pipe 8, which can be ascertained by Watching the i'illing operation, the pumping action is discontinued, and the excess liquid in vessel 2 then' overiows through pipes 8 and 9 and returns 'to tank 1. Part of this liquid escapes through pipe 12- and `pensing valve ppcannot be opened. cylinder is thenlallowed' to drain slowly Additional air `ports may, however, be, provided if desired.

port 14 into the lock cylinder 11 and rapidly fills the same, the liquid forcing out the air ahead of it and finally making its Way through nipple 19 into casing 18, Where it raises valve 2O into closed position, 'thus trapping the liquid in the cylinder. Vhen this occurs, the piston 16 which forms the controller of the hydraulic lock wvill be held against operation, so that the outlet or distlirough port 15 and pipe 13 into return pipe 9, and at the conclusion of this operation lever 7 is actuated to rotate the dispensing valve into open position, thereby discharging the contents of vessel 2; The float valve 2()l returns toits lowerposition as the cylinder 11 empties, and finally' lever 7 is actu'- ated to re-close valve 6.

The modified arrangement shown inF'igs.

3 and 4 embodies, in the main, the saineparts as the first form and operatesin substantially the saine Way, excepting, however', that the outlet valve is locked iny open position so that it cannot be closed to cutoff the flow until the entire amount of: liquid to bedispensed hasv been discharged from'the dispensing vessel 2. In this form,tlie kdispensing vessel 2, Which' may be filledy in 'any desired Way, is equipped with a dependiiigdischarge pipe 5 in Whichk the outlet valve 6 is located. The cylinder is equipped, as before',with a piston' 16 `and an associated venting deviceg'but'thesupplyand discharge pipes`12 and 13. for the cylinder are connected directly to pipe 5 and at pointsy located beloyvvalve 6, these pipes communicating with the cylinder by Way of the cylinder ports 14 and 15.

The valve 6 can therefore be turned or rotated into open position at' any time from its normal closed position illustrated in Fig. 3, by means of its handle or lever 7, thereby moving piston 16 to theright; This puts The Cil

the cylinder in communication with vessel h 2, the liquid from which is then free to flow through pipe 5"', some of it `escaping through pipe 12 into the cylinder and fillingy the saine with the resultftliat` the piston and, hence, the valv'e arel locked in actuated "position and cannot be operated untilv thev cylinder has emptied".

l claim as my inventioiire- 1. Liquid dispensing apparatus, comprising a. dispensingchamber provided With. an outlet valve ,a leverfor operating tlrevalve; a cylinder; a piston: =Working therein and connected to said lever and means for supplying a motive agent to the cylinder" when the level of the liquid in theichamber 'rises above a' predetermined level, thereby to lock said piston and lever against' nioveiiient.`

2. ln conibinatien, a liquid dispensing chamber; a discharge pipe leading therefrom; anj outlet .valvein saidpipe; a vvalveoperating member; a piston connected to said member; a cylinder wherein said piston works; and means for supplying liquid from said chamber to the cylinder to control the activity of the piston.

3. Liquid dispensing apparatus, comprising a dispensing chamber provided with an outlet valve and with an overflow; a hydraulic locking device for said valve embodying a cylinder, and a piston movable in the cylinder and connected with the valve; and a connection between the lock cylinder and the overflow for supplying overflowing liquid to said cylinder to lock the piston against movement.

4. Liquid dispensing apparatus, comprising a dispensing` chamber provided with an outlet valve; means for operating the valve;

a cylinder provided with inlet and outlet ports; a piston working in the cylinder and connected with the valve-operating means; means for supplying a motive agent to the inlet port of the cylinder when the level of the liquid in the chamber rises above a predetermined height, thereby to lock said piston and valve-operating means against movement; and venting means for the cylinder connected to the outlet port thereof.

5. Liquid dispensing apparatus, comprising a dispensing chamber; a discharge pipe leading therefrom; an outlet valve in said pipe; a valve-operating member; a piston connected to said member; a cylinder wherein said piston works having an inlet port and an outletport; and piping leading to and from said inlet and outlet ports, respectively, to 'sunnly liquid from said chamber to the cylinder to control the activity of the piston, and to subsequently vent said cylinder.

(i. Liquid dispensing apparatus, comprising a dispensing chamber; an outlet valve associated therewith; a handle Jfor actuating said valve; and a hydraulic lock for `aid valve embodying a cylinder to receive liquid, and a piston movable in said cylinder and connected with said handle, said piston being normally held against movement by the liquid in the cylinder.

Liquid dispensing apparatus, comprising a dispensing chamber provided with an outlet valve and with an overflow; a valveoperating member; a hydraulic lock for said valve embodying a cylinder to receive liquid, and a piston movable in said cylinder and connected with said member; and a connection between said cylinder and the overlow for supplying overflowing liquid to the cylinder to lock the piston against movement.

8. Liquid dispensing apparatus according to cia-im 7, in which means is provided to vent the lock cylinder and thereby unlock the piston.

9. Liquid dispensing apparatus, com rising a dispensing chamber provided wit 1- an outlet valve; a member for operating said CIJ 

